Can-punch.



W. P. ARMSTRONG.

CAN PUNCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.16, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PATRICK ARMSTRONG, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CAN-PUNCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,-W1LL1AM PAT-RICK ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Can-Punches and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a device for opening sealed metal canscontaining liquid and has for its object to provide a simple andeflicient punching cutter, which will, in one operation, perforate thetop of the can at opposite points of the peripheral edge thereof,forming two openings, preferably triangular in outline, extending fu lyto the edge of the top and forming a pouring spout for the liquid and avent for the can respectively, whereby any portion, or all of the liquidcontents of .of a sim ler form.

the can may be readily poured from either,

opening while the opposite opening serves as an air vent, the openingseing relatively small, so that they may be readily covered to preventaccess of air or foreign matter which would tend to impair any of thecontents which may be allowed to remain in the can.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a pore ective view of one formof the improved evice. Fig. 2 is a perspective view Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of a fort er modification. Fig. 4 is a plan of the latter.

It has been the common practice, in opening metal cans containin liquidmatter, such as milk, syrup, paint, oil and the like, either to cut outa relatively large section of the can top, or to punch two or more holesin the top to permit the contents of the can being poured out. When thetop is cut away throu hout an ap reciable area, the contents may fiereadily ischarged, but when it is desired to utilize only aportionmisuch ccintents, the remainder cannot be preserved againstimpairment by the entrance of air and bacteria through the lar e openingin the top. In case holes are unclied in the to it has been foundpractica ly impossible to ischarge all of the cans contents, for thereason that the holes have of necessity been applied some distance fromthe peripheral edge of the top, with the result that the liquid collectsin the space between the top and sides of the can below the dischargehole and cannot be poured from the can. Furthermore when Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1908.

Patented April 27, 1909.

SeriaI No. 467,858.

the holes are located back from the edge of the top the liquid flowinout of the discharge opening spreads over the can top where it dries andgives rise to unsightly and unsanitary conditions. B means Of'IHyinvention all of these difficu ties and objections are avoided in thatthe instrument punches two relatively small triangular openings in thecan top directly at the peri heral. edge thereof an a ex of each 0 enrngein directed toward t e periphery o the can an cooperating with the cansides to form ail-pouring spout for the liquid which runs clea y fromthe can without passing over any part of the exterior surface thereof.Furthermore the relatively small size of the openings admits of thelatter being closed or sealed against ingress of air or foreign matter,after a portion of the can contents has been discharged and when it isdesired to preserve the portion remaining in the can for future use.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 indicates a standard or supporthaving an open semi-circular base 2 adapted to snugly fit the bottomedge of a can as and hold the can in proper posltion to be engaged bythe punching cutter. Said base is secured to a table or other support byscrews 3 or, other appropriate means. Pivoted at 5 to standard 1 is ahandle 4 to which is secured a yoke-like bar '7 having its ends providedwith inwardly, and downwardly inclined knives or cutting edges 8terminating in sharp piercing or punching points; the pointed cutteredges being so spaced that they will engage the top of a can, insertedin the base 2, at opposite points near the peri heral edge of the top,and when forced ownward, by pressure applied to the handle, will punchtwo generally triangular holes or openings in the can top, apexes ofwhich openings are directed toward and extend quite to the extreme edgeof the top, as indicated in Fig. 1. Furthermore the downward and inwardinclination of the cutting and plunchin 8 causes said edges to bend t emeta of the can sides outwardly to a slight de ree, thereby formingsmall spouts from which the liquid will be delivered in a clear streamand thereby prevent the liquid dripping or run-' edges in which the yoke7 and the associated cutting and unching blades are mounted Oil ahandle, t e devicebeing applied to the top of the can by the operatorand forced downward to form the openings by pressin on the handle orstriking the same a shar b ow. It will be noted that, if the handle 4 beremoved, the yoke 7 may be secured by screws or the like to a stationarysupport, so that the cans may be pressed against the punching blades toperforate the top.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 presents a device adapted to be appliedto the under side of a table or counter, and involves a yoke piece 7having the cutting and punchlng knives 8, similar to those hereinbeforedescribed, the yoke being adapted to be secured to the under side of thetable by bolts' 11 or other suitable fastening devices, and preferablyin inchned position as Indicated.

- Special means are provided for guiding the can and holdin the same inproper position for the top to e pierced by the cutters 8, said meanscomprising a s ring clip 10, having downwardly projecting spring armsbent or flared outwardly, the latter preferably being curvedtransversely so as to embrace and engage the sides of the can, as thesame is shoved upwardly, into the clip, as indi cated in Fig. 3. Afterthe can has been inserted in position, it is either pressed up againstthe cutting knives 8 or given a sharp blow, which has the effect ofdriving the knives into the top and formin the open ings on oppositesides of the top, in the manner herein efore described.

Obviously other forms of apparatus may be readily devised to embody thegeneric feature of the invention, which is the provision of a pair ofspaced punching cutters adapted to perforate the can top at oppo-' sitepoints in the peripheral edge thereof and thereby provide in a can top apouring and a venting orifice of the same shape, either of which willserve as a spout for completely emptying the can and at the same timeprevent the contents from running over the ex- ......'.h., I .l,

terior surface thereof.

arising from the use of triangular openin s formed by the cutters isthat, in cases w ere milk or like material is stored in the cans, thefluid forms a film over the openings and effectively seals the latterafter the pouring operation is stopped.

What I claim is 1. A can perforating device comprising a pair ofcutters, and a carrier therefor on which said cutters. are spaced apartat a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a can head, wherebyouring and vent holes may be simultaneous y formed at the edge of thecan head, as set forth.

the relatively small .2. A can perforating device comprising asupport,'and spaced cutters carried by the support and arran ed toperforate the can head simultaneous y at opposite points, said cuttersbeing provided with knife edges, which when the device is in use aredirected toward the periphery of the can.

3. A can perforating device, comprising a yoke, and a pair of spacedpunching cutters carried thereby having downwardly and inwardly inclinedknife edges adapted to perforate the can top at opposite points in theperipheral edge thereof.

4. A can perforating device, comprising a pair of spaced perforate thecan top at o posite points in the peripheral edge thereo and means forguidmg and holding the can in position to be engaged by the punchingcutters.

5. A can perforating device, comprising a yoke, having a pair of spacedpunching cutters adapted to perforate the can top at 0pposite points inthe peripheral edge thereof, and a spring clip to receive and guide thecan tot 1e punching cutters. 1

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM PATRICK ARMSTRONG.

A special advantage punching cutters adapted to

